


The Real Me

by ArtfulDoodler



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-15
Updated: 2012-12-15
Packaged: 2017-11-21 04:45:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/593587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtfulDoodler/pseuds/ArtfulDoodler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Annie-May was sure Ryou wouldn't be interested if she saw her face - so she asked her friend Laura to step in...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Real Me

I couldn't believe this was happening. I was hiding behind a tree in the park, mud soaking my jeans, while my best friend Laura cuddled up to Ryou, the boy I loved - because I asked her to.

I'd met Ryou in an internet chatroom through mutual friends. We got along really well and had loads in common; I could tell he was a genuinely nice person. Soon, we were talking every night and I totally fell for him. I could tell Ryou anything, and he was gorgeous, too; so gorgeous that I knew he'd go off me if he saw what I really looked like. So when he asked to see a picture of me, I sent him one of Laura instead - she's so pretty and perfect compared to me.

When I was a toddler, my sister accidentally knocked a pan of boiling hot water off the hob and it poured all over me. I was rushed straight to hospital of course, but there wasn't much they could do to prevent the scarring. Mum says it was worse after the accident - I had to wear plastic masks and casts, and strangers would look at her as if to say, "What have you done to your baby?" Even now, after several skin grafts, I'm covered from head to foot in horrific-looking scars. Everyone else I know has boys asking them out at school and at parties, but no one ever likes me. They just look at me in horror. My friends accept me and stand up for me, but ignorant girls at school still call me "ugly freak," and strangers stare at me in disgust. I couldn't bear to see Ryou look at me in the same way.

So, when he asked to meet up, I persuaded Laura to go in my place, to prevent blowing my cover. It took a long time, but eventually she agreed, and we decided I should go along, too, and hide somewhere so I could see how it went.

So now there I was, kneeling in the mud behind a tree, watching Laura and Ryou giggle and flirt with each other, snuggled up on the bench. I watched, numb, as he put his arm around her and leaned in for a kiss.

My eyes burned with pain. "That should be me!" I whispered to myself, a tear escaping and dripping down my cheek. Suddenly I couldn't stand it any more. I got up and began to run out of the park. But blinded by my tears, I stumbled over a tree root, lost my footing and fell down on the hard mossy floor. I didn't even bother to move - I just sat there, salty tears flowing down my face. Then I heard footsteps approaching. Startled, I looked up to see Ryou and Laura, staring down at me. Laura immediately began to gabble, "Annie-May, I'm so sorry. I should never have agreed to do this; I don't know why I let you talk me into it. I'm so sorry!"

Ryou stepped forward and peered down at me. "What's going on?" he asked, looking bemused, his fabulous chocolate brown eyes looking straight into mine. I looked away, staring hard at the ground, not knowing what to say. Laura sighed. "You might as well know. Annie-May persuaded me to come and meet you in her place because she thought you wouldn't like her when you saw her..." voice trailed off.

I felt Ryou looking at me, his eyes taking in every detail. After a moment he stepped back and sighed. "Of course I still like you. Why would you think I wouldn't?" He looked genuinely confused. I felt happy tears spring to my eyes this time as he pulled me to my feet and gave me a big hug. Laura beamed at me over his shoulder, and I grinned back. Finally, I had found someone who liked me. The real me.


End file.
